Foolish Games
by y-ma-luu-ser
Summary: She hated herself for causing everything to go down the toilet. This was inspired by but not based on the song Foolish Games by Jewel. Angsty One-shot.


Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and places belong to JKR. Plot is mine.

**Foolish Games**

She looked out at the rain and sighed. Tonight was the annual Yuletime Ball at the Ministry and she had no intention of going. But after the fight she had with him earlier today, she had no other choice but go. Luckily, she had already had a date. She hated herself for causing everything to go down the toilet.

_FLASHBACK_

_Hermione had just woken up in the arms of her boyfriend and was playing with his hair. He rolled over and trapped her under his hold. He snuck a kiss to her neck and moved upward until he found her lips._

_"Hey, I haven't brushed yet, that's disgusting," she protested when he slipped his tongue into her mouth._

_"You're disgusting," Draco retorted._

_She rolled off her side of the bed and started to get ready for her day. She pulled together pieces of her outfit for the day and went into the bathroom to get ready. When she emerged she made some coffee and took out some biscuits. He came up behind her in the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her pulling her into him for a proper morning kiss._

_She smiled, she loved spending mornings with him. "So, what's the plan for today? Are you going to join me for lunch?" He was head of the family now and worked most of the time on financial holdings and other business type things that Hermione had never bothered to understand._

_"I have to make arrangements for the Yule Ball at the ministry so I'll most likely see you but I have a lunch meeting." Draco picked up a cup that Hermione laid out for him._

_"You're making arrangements for a ministry event?" Hermione was surprised, Draco never held any interest for any ministry events._

_"Well they had put my contributions in with this fundraiser that their pushing for the ball, so I've got to help them in promoting," he took a long drink of coffee. "The more tickets they sell, the less I have to pay."_

_Hermione thought there must have been a reason for his interest. "We'll I've already bought two tickets. I'm glad I'm helping your worthy cause," she joked. "Well, since you have to go and I've to go, let's go together, you know, make it a date?"_

_He looked at her face to see if she was still joking, "You know we can't do that." Their relationship since its beginning had been a relative secret. _

_"Why can't we?" she defiantly asked. She was pretty sure she was in love with him and vice versa. Why couldn't they appear in public together? _

_"Well, we can't be together in public, it would cause a media frenzy. Then this," he pointed between the two of them, "would cease to exist."_

_He stroked her cheek and gave it a peck. She pulled away from him. "I'm getting sick of this arrangement. I'd like to go out with you, not just to obscure muggle places but other places. Like strolls in Diagon Alley or ministry balls."_

_"Is that what this is about? Listen I've got to go with someone already, but I assure you she means nothing to me." Draco tried to hug her._

_"That's right because you only care about your secret girlfriend. You know what? Maybe I have a date to?" She tried to look as convincing as possible. She didn't think it was working. She just gave up._

_She turned and walked back into the bedroom to grab the ministry robes. Then she went directly to the floo and went to work. For an hour after she arrived, she cried over the end of her relationship._

_END FLASHBACK_

Hermione received invitations from a few people. Anthony Goldstein being one of them. She had always liked him from Hogwarts. Even if as just a friend, she agreed to go with him to the ball. What she really wanted to do was to go with a certain blonde

She slipped into her dark blue dress that clung in all the right places. Ginny had talked her into it, even though she couldn't afford it. The dress was slimming and long, making her look much taller than she really was.

Anthony matched her in dark dress robes and a blue tie. When he picked her up, he kissed her hand and led her out to the hall. "You look lovely, Hermione." Then he apparated them away.

The ball was held in the atrium. It was elegantly decorated in Hermione's opinion and was quite the event of the season. There were many dignitaries invited as well as ministry heads. Most of those that bought tickets were only there to meet the famous guests.

Hermione and Anthony quickly found Harry and Ron with their respective dates, Ginny and Luna. They chatted a while and had a few drinks. Harry and Ron were seated together with Hermione and one of the biggest contributors, Draco Malfoy and his date.

Hermione hadn't seen him for almost a month. Since the day that she walked out of her own apartment, she hadn't seen him. She didn't answer his owls and she blocked him from her floo. She really just wanted to forget he ever existed. She was so embarrassed. She couldn't believe she had said those things. She acted like, well, like a girl.

Now she had to sit at the same table as him. With his gorgeous date. She really wanted to just sink into some sort of hole and die. She couldn't compare to someone like that. To say she was plain was an understatement. She wasn't ugly but she wasn't to the level of the beauty that was on Draco's arm at this moment.

Hermione thought back to what he said that day, he _had_ to go with her. Maybe Draco didn't have any feelings toward this other girl and really did love Hermione. Then her questions were answered when he pulled the girl's hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. He used to do that with Hermione. Maybe she misjudged his affections toward her. Perhaps, he wasn't ready for anything serious after all. Hermione felt twice as stupid now and really wanted a hole to appear for her needs.

Just then, Anthony asked her if she would accompany him to the dance floor. It was a slow waltz. Even though Hermione wasn't very comfortable dancing, Anthony led very well and she began to feel more at ease. Nearing the end of the dance, Hermione whispered a "thank you" to Anthony.

He responded, "No worries, I thought you needed something to distract you." Being the good friend that he was, he had known about the problems she had with Draco.

After the song, deciding that she was done dancing, Hermione was escorted by Anthony back to their table. They proceeded to eat a very filling dinner. It was delicious and Hermione found herself smiling after the meal had disappeared.

She was asked to dance by Harry and she accepted. He gave her a quick spin around the floor and was cut in by Ron. After a dance with Ron, Hermione was passed back to Anthony. After a little more dancing, Hermione excused herself to the loo. Ginny followed.

After a quick make-up check, Ginny joined Harry again at their table and Hermione was left alone to wash her hands. She was drying herself with a towel and headed for the door.

It wouldn't open and she looked around to see if anyone else was in the restroom. No one. She tried again. When it didn't work a second time, she was quickly spun around by an unknown force and kissed fiercely.

She pushed whoever it was off and tried to scream. She was quickly silenced by the image before her. It was Draco.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked with spite in his tone. "Or, did you prefer to it to be Goldstein?"

Hermione didn't know what to say she just looked up at the man pinning her to the door. She wasn't necessarily scared but she was still startled.

"First, you ignore my owls then you block me out of your floo. Now you have the gall to come to this event with Gold-fucking-stein. Are you mad?"

She finally found her voice and said, "Are you?"

"No! You don't get to play the wounded party here. You come here with bloody Goldstein and dance with him and whispered sweet nothings to each other." He sneered, "Did he make you feel wonderful? Did you let him into your knickers, yet?"

Hermione put on a brave face and replied to his last question, "No." She sounded so meek compared to his booming voice.

"Well, I hope you bloody well enjoyed yourself tonight." He looked up when someone knocked on the door trying to get in. "I'm done with you. You can marry Goldstein for all I care. I don't love you anymore." With that he pulled her off the door and left the ladies loo, leaving an air of arrogance in his trail.

She gave herself the once over to see if she was again presentable. She noticed she had tears in her eyes. She didn't even remember crying. She fixed her hair a bit and left the loo.

When she arrived back at her table, she told Anthony that she wasn't feeling well and wanted to leave. She quickly apologized to the rest of the table and left with Anthony. Draco was nowhere in sight.

She hated herself for still wanting him. For what she said that day. Why did she have to be so foolish? What she hated most of all was that she still loved Draco Malfoy.

A/N: Worry not all, there's a companion piece with Draco's POV that is much less angsty.


End file.
